Can



July 17, 1928. 1,677,234

J. E. R. HAYHES Filed. Mx ch 10, 1927 i i Patented Jul 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E B. HAYES, or MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 DOVER STAMPING & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or MASSACHUSETT or CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION CAN.

Application filed March 10, 1927. Serial No. 174,169.

The invention relates to an improvement in cans or pails, more particularly garbage cans or pails, and has for its purpose the locking of the coverto the can body by such means as will prevent the cover being accidentally knocked off or displaced.

The essential object of the'invention is to provide such means for locking the can cover to the can body as will require separate and independent operations before the can cover may be removed from the can body; to provide a locking means in which the bail forms apart of the locking means, and to provide, also, a locking means which will add very little to the cost of the can. Hitherto locking means have been provided for locking a can cover to its body in which the can cover will become unlocked preliminary to lifting it off the can body, by turning the cover. According to the present invention this turning movement of the can cover for unlocking it to permit of its removal is supplemented by a preliminary operation in which the cover is first disconnected from the ends of the bail acting as a locking member, and this either by lifting the bail or by lifting the cover vertically away from the ends of thebail, either of these operations being preliminary, as stated above, to the turning of the cover to permit of its lifting off or removal fromthe body of the can.

The invention can best be seen and understood by reference to the drawings, in

which- 'Figure 1 is a side elevation of a can or pail fit-ted with a construction embodying the invention, the bail of the can being shown in its operative or looking position for assisting in the retention of the cover.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a portion of the can and cover showing especially the locking means and incidental parts.

Fig. 3 is aside elevation the same as Fig. 1, showing, however, only a portion of the can'andin which the bail is turned into an unlocking position with relation to the cover, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section substantially like Fig. 2 excepting that the can cover is shown in a slightly vertically elevated positime with rela i n to th c n body, or, a will thereon.

presently be explained, lifted away from the locking ends of the bail permitting of the turning of the cover forremoving it.

Referring to the drawings 1 represents the can body and 2 the cover. The cover is made larger than the can body and is provided with a flange 3 which fits down over the'top end of the can body. The cover is also provided with a handle 4 by which it may be lifted off the can body.

Secured to the can body 1 on opposite sides near the top end thereof are straps or ears Each of these straps is provided at its opposite ends with flanges 6 by which the straps are secured to the can body byrivets 7. From between the flanges the strap is turned outwardly away from the can body by upper and lower portions 8 and 9 respectively with an intermediate connecting portion 10, spaced from the can body, thestrap thereby co-operating with the can body to form a socket 11.1 i

12 is the bail. The bail adjacent its outer ends is provided with bends 13 which pass through openings 14 in the bars 10 of the respective straps by which the bail is secured to the can body with permitted turning Beyond its bends 13 the bail is provided with projecting ends 15. These ends lie within thesockets 11 and turn therein as the bail is turned up and down. The projection of the ends 15 with relation to the ail is such that when the bail is in a turned down position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

'its ends lawill have a relatively upward projection withinthe sockets 11 above the pivotal points of the hail, the ends being turned away from such upward projection as thebail is lifted as shown in Fig.3.

Secured preferably by riveting tothe opposite sides of the flange 3 of the cover are catches16 each provided with a depending arm 17 from which projects a lateral arm 18. These arms of the respective catches are so arranged that when the cover, placed upon the can body, is turned the arms 17 will engage the upper portions 8 of the straps acting as stops, while the arms 18 will enter the sockets 11, the respective arms 18 of the two catches then lying beneath the upper outturned portions 8 of the respective straps with ex ension ever the tops'of the ends 1e of the bail. On its outer end each of the arms 18 is provided with a downturned projecting end or flange 19.

The relative disposition and arrangement of the parts are such that when the bail is in a downturned position as shown in Fig. 1

the downturned ends or flanges 19 of the respective arms 18 of the catches will extend below and back of the tops of the upturned ends 15 of the hail, the tops of the ends of the bail lying preferably just beneath the under edges 20 of the respective arms 18 below which the ends or flanges 19 project. The preferred arrangement is also such that when the parts are thus positioned the top edges 21 of the respective arms 18 will lie spaced from the upper turned portions 8 of the respective straps a distance substantially equal to and preferably slightly in excess of the distance that the downwardly projecting ends or flanges 19 on the arms project below the tops of the upturned ends 15 of the bail.

The operation is as follows Assuming the parts to be arranged in the manner above described and the bail to be in its normal downturned position, on applying the cover to the can body and turning the cover the arms 18 of the catches will be made to enter the sockets 11 passing over the upturned ends 15 of the bail and which turning movement is continued until the arms 17 of the catches engage the outturncd portions 8 of the straps acting as a stop to prevent further turning of the cover. Thereupon upon releasing the cover the downturned projecting ends of the flanges 19 on the ends of the arms 18 will extend below the tops of the upturned ends of the bail and lie back of these ends. The cover is thereby locked and can only be removed by either lifting the bail to the position shown in Fig. 3 where the ends of the bail are shown turned into a position lying below the flanges 19 on the cover or by lifting thecover vertically when the flanges 19 will be elevated to a position above the ends of the bail as shown in Fig. 4. Following either of these operations as a preliminary step the cover may thenbe removed by so turning it that the arms 18 of the catches will move out of the respective sockets or mountings within which they are contained.

As referred to above, the preferred arrangement is that when the parts are in their locking position a space will separate the top edges 21 of the respective arms 18 from the upper outturned portions 8 of the respective straps, thereby permitting the release of the flanges 19 from the upturned ends of the bail simply by lifting the cover in a vertical direction preliminary to turning it. If it were not for this space the cover could only be released by lifting the bail which would require both hands of an operator for releasing the cover, one hand for lifting the bail and the other hand for turning the cover. When a space is left the cover may be released, first by lifting and then turning it, both operations requiring but one hand of the operator.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 2-- 1. The combination comprising a can body and cover, the cover having a flange fitting over the top end of the can body, bail mountings on the can body forming sockets within them, a bail pivotally arranged to turn on said mountings and presenting ends within the sockets formed by the respective mountings, said ends of the bail being upturned above the pivotal points of the bail when the bail is occupying its normal downturned position, a stop on the can body, and angular turned members carried by the cover adapted and arranged when the cover is turned on said body to engage said stop and have lateral entry into the sockets of the respective mountings with extension over the tops of the upturned ends of the bail and with downward projection in part below and back of the same in an amount permitting said upturned ends of the bail being turned below said downward projecting part of said members on lifting the bail.

2. The combination comprising a can body and cover, the cover having a flange fitting over the top end of the can body, bail mountings on the can body forming sockets within them, a bail pivotally arranged to turn on said mountings and presenting ends within the sockets formed by the respective mountings, said ends of the bail being upturned above the pivotal points of the bail when the bail is occupying its normal downturned position, a stop on the can body, and angular turned members can ried by the cover adapted and arranged when the cover is turned on said body to engage said stop and have lateral entry into the sockets of the respective mountings with extension over the tops of the upturned ends of the bail and with downward projection in part below and back of the same, said angular turned members when socketed as aforesaid being sufficiently spaced from the heads of the sockets within which they are contained to permit of said downturned part thereof being raised above the upturned ends of the bail on lifting the cover.

3. The combination comprising a can body and cover, the cover having a flange fitting over the top end of the can body, bail mountings on the can body forming sockets within them, a bail pivotally ar ranged to turn on said mountings and presenting ends within the sockets formed by the respective mountings, said ends of the bail being upturned above the pivotal points of the bail when the bail is occupying its normal downturned position, and angular turned members carried by the cover adapted and arranged when the cover is turned on said body to engage said mountings and have lateral entry into the sockets formed thereby with extension over the tops of the upturned ends of the bail and with downward projection in part below and back of the same in an amount permitting said upturned ends of the bail being turned below said downward projecting part of said members on lifting the bail.

4. The combination comprising a can body and cover, the cover having a flange fitting over the top end of the can body, bail mountings on the can body forming sockets within them, a bail pivotally arranged to turn on said mountings and presenting ends Within the sockets formed by the respective mountings said ends of the bail beingupturned above the pivotal points of the bail when the bail is occupying its normal downturned position, and angular turned members carried by the cover adapted and arranged when the cover is turned on said body to engage said mountings and have lateral entry into the sockets formed thereby with extension over the tops of the upturned ends of the bail and with downward projection in part below and back of the same, said angular turned members when socketed as aforesaid being sufiiciently spaced from the heads of the sockets within which they are contained to permit of said downturned part thereof being raised above the upturned ends of the bail on lifting the cover. 7

JOHN E. R. HAYES. 

